THE National Trust has been blasted by politicians over an “intrusive” sexuality survey – with one MP claiming they are beginning to “lose trust” in the conservation organisation.

The charity has come under fire recently after forcing volunteers to wear badges bearing the LGBT flag, and the supposed “outing” of long deceased Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer, one-time owner of Felbrigg Hall near Cromer.

Now they are facing further furore from disgruntled staff and peeved politicians after asking volunteers to fill out an optional survey which included sections on gender identity and sexuality.

Asked for their gender, volunteers are given the options “male, female, trans, non-binary or intersex” – and a further question asked if this was the gender they “were assigned at birth”.

In addition, a section on sexuality asked if volunteers were “gay, bisexual, lesbian or straight”.

GETTY

The trust are facing further furore from disgruntled staff and peeved politicians

Related articles

Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen said: “I’m beginning to lose trust in the National Trust, and I think so will many of their members.

“It's clear with recent revelations the direction the management wish to take the organisation. They are in danger of leaving their volunteers behind.”

Meanwhile, former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe expressed her outrage.

She said: “The National Trust has lost its way completely.

“These questions are intrusive and above all unnecessary. It shouldn't be asking them and it's no wonder some people are feeling offended.”

GETTY

Former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe expressed her outrage

A National Trust spokesman told The Mail: “These questions help us to understand who volunteers with us so that we can make the Trust a more relevant and accessible place to volunteer.

“We know that some groups are underrepresented in Trust volunteering and this data will help us to attract and retain a wider range of volunteers.

“Questions about gender identity and sexual orientation are an optional part of our annual volunteers' survey, which is in itself optional.

“The data collected is anonymous and stored confidentially.”

It comes after the outgoing head of the National Trust has admitted that its core members have been ignored as the charity faced a backlash over a spate of “lefty” controversies.

GETTY

Andrew Bridgen said he was 'losing trust' in the conservation group

Speaking in the wake of the gay pride controversy where volunteers were required to wear LGBT badges Dame Helen Ghosh admitted: “Sometimes some of our perhaps more traditional visitors have felt that they are not being catered for as they once felt that they were.”

Dame Helen, who is leaving to take over as Master of Balliol College, Oxford University, told BBC Radio 4’s The World This Weekend: “Sometimes I see signs that our places, or things going on, that perhaps tread too far in one direction than another.

“It is sometimes the case that we appeal too much to one audience and not enough to another."

The 61-year-old, who took up the position in 2012 from Dame Fiona Reynolds, added: “I haven’t got a specific example in mind. I think what I’m describing is that in order to be open-armed to welcome the widest possible group of visitors to our places, sometimes some of our perhaps more traditional visitors have felt that they are not being catered for as they once felt that they were.”